This is the story of a life and spirit guided by the animals. Brenda Peterson was raised in the High Sierras on a national forest lookout station, and wildlife had a daily, defining influence on her life. Beginning with her fascination with Smokey Bear, Peterson explores her deep connection with animals, from watching grizzlies in Montana's Rockies, to keeping Siberian huskies as pets in New York City and Colorado, to her work for the restoration of wild wolves in the West. Her lively storytelling bridges the worlds of human and animal, as she fascinates us with intimate stories of the wild dolphins, whales, and orcas whose lives she has studied for the past two decades. With each moving story, Peterson reveals a turning point in which animal bonds have enriched her life and led her toward a wider epiphany: As a species we cannot live without other animals. 17 b/w photographs.